Net Fishing at Night on the Sumida River - Kitagawa Utamaro
Archival giclée
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Description
A classic Ukiyo-e woodblock print by Kitagawa Utamaro, depicting figures fishing on the Sumida River with a distinctive overlaid net pattern.
Kitagawa Utamaro, a master of the Ukiyo-e genre, produced this woodblock print during the late eighteenth century. The composition depicts figures engaged in nocturnal fishing on the Sumida River, a subject that allowed the artist to explore the interplay between human activity and the natural environment. Utamaro is widely recognised for his ability to capture the grace of his subjects, and here he applies that same sensitivity to the quiet labour of the river workers.
The print employs a sophisticated layering technique, using a fine mesh pattern overlaid across the entire scene. This visual device creates a sense of depth and texture, suggesting the physical presence of the fishing net while simultaneously unifying the composition. The figures are rendered with the artist's characteristic fluid line work, their postures conveying a sense of calm focus. The muted colour palette, dominated by soft earth tones and subtle washes, reflects the dim light of a river at night.
In this work, the artist balances the technical requirements of the woodblock medium with a narrative quality that invites the viewer to observe the scene closely. The inclusion of the fish at the bottom of the frame provides a sense of immediacy to the action. As a piece of Edo-period art, this print offers a window into the daily life of the region, documenting both the tools of the trade and the social atmosphere of the riverbanks. The composition avoids unnecessary ornamentation, allowing the focus to remain on the interaction between the figures and their environment. This print is a representative example of Utamaro's technical skill and his contribution to the development of the Ukiyo-e tradition, demonstrating his command over both form and atmospheric suggestion.
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Each print is produced to order using 12-colour giclée printing on FSC-certified archival paper. Designed in Britain and printed at your nearest production hub to reduce waste and speed up delivery.
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Specific Features
Every Solis piece is made to order with archival, gallery-quality materials built to last.
- Museum-grade giclée printing for rich, fade-resistant colour
- Archival matte fine-art paper, FSC-certified
- Multiple sizes and framing options available
- Frames in black, natural wood, dark wood or white
- Framed prints arrive ready to hang
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- Dust gently with a soft, dry cloth
- Avoid prolonged direct sunlight
- Never use liquid cleaners on the print or canvas surface
- Keep in a dry, room-temperature space
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Materials & Sizing
Museum-grade giclée on FSC-certified archival matte paper, with framed and canvas options.
- Paper sizes: A4, A3, A2, A1, A0 and B2 (50×70 cm)
- Canvas: XS (20×30 cm) to Large (60×90 cm)
- Frames: black, natural wood, dark wood or white
Net Fishing at Night on the Sumida River - Kitagawa Utamaro
Artist Biography
Kitagawa Utamaro
Almost nothing is certain about his early life. He was born around 1753, possibly in Edo, possibly in Kyoto, possibly in Kawagoe. He began publishing prints in the 1770s under the guidance of the publisher Tsutaya Juzaburo, who recognised what Utamaro could do with a portrait of a woman.
What he could do was unprecedented. He invented the okubi-e format: large head-and-shoulders portraits of individual women, mostly from the Yoshiwara pleasure district, printed in close-up with minimal background. Before Utamaro, bijin-ga (pictures of beautiful women) showed groups of figures in full length. He isolated the face, the tilt of the head, the expression. The prints are psychologically specific in a way that had not existed in Japanese printmaking.
He also published books of insect studies and volumes of shunga (erotica), and he made portraits of ordinary town women, not just courtesans. Ohisa and Okita, two shopgirls who appeared in his Three Beauties of the Present Day, became famous across Edo because of his prints. He turned real people into celebrities, which may be the first documented instance of an artist functioning as a kind of media platform.
Tsutaya Juzaburo died in 1797. Utamaro was reportedly devastated. Some critics feel his work never reached the same level afterward. He produced over two thousand prints in his career.
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